25.11.2024. » 12:05
#11 Witness testimony against the accused for the Dubrava Prison Massacre, Gavrilo Milosavlević.
A witness gave his testimony in the trial against Gavrilo Milosavlevic, accused for the Dubrava Prison Massacre. “I can say that there wasn’t a single Dubrava Prison guard or a Serbian or other inmate that didn’t participate in this massacre”, said witness Agron Ramadani. In the hearing of October 30, 2024, Ramadani testified before the trial panel on this matter, in the Court of Prishtina.
Milosavljević is accused that, in his capacity as an official at Dubrava Prison, individually and in co-perpetration with others, applied repressive measures, including murder, assault, mistreatment, torture, and inhumane treatment, against Albanian civilian inmates. Witness Agron Ramadani has identified Milosavljević, known by the alias “Gagi,” and said he learned his full name after his arrest. When questioned by prosecutor Kastriot Memaj about the events in the Dubrava Prison, Ramadani stated he was arrested on June 11, 1998, and transferred to Dubrava Prison on April 29, 1999. Upon arrival, the witnesses stated that physical mistreatment against him began immediately.
“Upon arrival at Dubrava Prison, leaving the bus and heading to the prison cells, we were met by guards who immediately began severe physical abuse, insults, and humiliation. The line extended from the bus to the prison entrance,” said witness Ramadani. He further stated that mistreatment would start at night, after 22:00, and added that there were six people in his cell. “I shared a room with M. M., SH. Z., G. B., U. H., and I don’t remember other names,” said witness Ramadani. The witness further stated that on April 19 at Dubrava Prison, a guard entered the room where he and the others were staying and demanded that they sing.
“Just before the bombing, prior to April 19, the lights went on in our room, room 22, at around 22:00, and the door was opened by prison guards. One of the guards entered the room. My bed was near the door, and immediately stood up,” said witness Agron Ramadani. “First, he spoke to U. H. and said in Serbian, ‘Because of you, we are being bombed’. ‘You are terrorists, that is why we are keeping you in prison. Everyone sing in Serbian, “KO TO KAZE, KO TO LAZE, SRBIJA JE MALA” (“Who says, who lies that Serbia is small”), “Great Serbia…” We were shocked, and none of us spoke," continued Ramadani in his testimony. The witness further declared that the guard asked SH. Z. for his name and demanded that he sings. When he did not comply, the guard grabbed him by the neck. The witness added that one of the guards near the door called out to the person holding SH. Z. by the neck, “Enough, Gagi.”
The witness further stated that the health condition of himself and others in prison was dire, and the food provided to them was limited. Ramadani stated that they could not sleep in the prison due to the screams of other prisoners. “I mention sleep, but nobody ever slept there, because every night you could hear the screams of prisoners in other cells,” stated Ramadani. When asked about May 22, 1999, the witness said they were called to go out to the sports field (stadium) for lineup and counting, and then gunfire began against them.
The witness stated that he was wounded from the gunfire. “Some were killed on the spot, others were wounded, including myself,” said Ramadani. He stated that about 500-600 prisoners were lined up. “Inside the lineup, there were approximately 500-600 prisoners, one after another. Later, we learned, according to accounts, that about 130, maybe more, were killed, and around 400, maybe even more, were wounded,” said Ramadani.
Witness Agron Ramadani stated that on May 24, they were transferred to Lipjan Prison, where they stayed until June 9 or 10, 1999, after which he and others were transferred to Niš Prison. Prosecutor Kastriot Memaj proposed that, with the court’s permission, the witness turn around and look at the accused to confirm if the person named Gagi was indeed the accused. This was objected to by Milosavljević’s defense attorney, Nebojša Vlajić. The trial panel rejected prosecutor Memaj’s proposal. Witness Agron Ramadani also submitted photographs to the Court, and the trial panel announced it would decide whether they will be declared admissible.
Zeqir Lenjani was also scheduled to testify, however, the prosecutor proposed the reading of his testimony given on April 27, 2022 to the Police. The defense attorney also seconded the prosecutor's proposal. The trial panel approved the proposal of the prosecution. This criminal matter is tried by Presiding Judge VEsel Ismajli, and Arben Hoti and Kujtim Krasniqi, Members. The indictment against defendant Gavrilo Milosavlević was filed on November 29, 2023, and the initial hearing was held on December 7, 2023.
Following the reading of the indictment by the Prosecution, the accused Milosavlević declared that he understands the offense for which he is accused and pleads not guilty.
What does the prosecution file say?
According to the Prosecution’s file, in the period 1998-1999, amid the Kosovo War, defendant Gavrilo Milosavljević, in his official capacity as Dubrava Prison staff, individually and in co-perpetration with others, implemented repressive measures including murder, beating, mistreatment, torture, and cruel and inhumane treatment against Albanian civilian prisoners. According to the indictment, Milosavljević, in co-perpetration with Serbian police units, committed the mass killing of Albanian prisoners, where on the day of the incident they ordered 1,000 prisoners into the prison yard, known as the "sports field,” under the pretense that they would count them and move them to a safer place to protect them from NATO bombings. Furthermore, according to the indictment, immediately after the prisoners were lined up, Serbian police units fired at them with all types of weapons, including “Kalashnikov” rifles, machine guns, mortars, and other weapons, and threw hand grenades from behind the prison wall. This killing operation, which began on May 22, 1999, and lasted until May 24, 1999, resulted in the deaths of 109 prisoners, with 108 prisoners wounded. According to the indictment, the accused Milosavljević, in co-perpetration with other Serbian military officials, visited the “B” and “C” wings of the Dubrava Prison almost daily, cruelly and inhumanely beating, insulting, and physically and psychologically mistreating Albanian civilian prisoners without any justification, other than their Albanian ethnicity. For these actions, the accused Gavrilo Milosavljević is charged with the criminal offense of war crimes against the civilian population.
Former senior political and military leaders of the remaining Yugoslavia and Serbia were tried and even convicted for the massacres, other war crimes, and crimes against humanity committed in Kosovo. Former President of Yugoslavia, Slobodan Milošević, was accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by Serbian and Yugoslav forces in Kosovo. Milošević was also charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the wars in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia. His trial at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), based in The Hague, did not conclude, as Milošević died on March 11, 2006, in his cell while in detention. Milan Milutinović, former President of Serbia, was acquitted of war crime charges related to the Kosovo conflict. Nikola Šainović, Deputy Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, was sentenced to 18 years in prison for crimes against humanity and violations of the laws or customs of war. Dragoljub Ojdanić, former Chief of the General Staff of the Yugoslav Army, was sentenced to 15 years for crimes against humanity. Nebojša Pavković, former Commander of the Third Army of the Yugoslav Army, was sentenced to 22 years for crimes against humanity and violations of the laws or customs of war. Vladimir Lazarević, former Commander of the Pristina Corps of the Yugoslav Army, was sentenced to 14 years for crimes against humanity. Sreten Lukić, former head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Serbia's Kosovo staff, was sentenced to 20 years for crimes against humanity and violations of the laws or customs of war.
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